This invention relates to an infant crib and more particularly relates to a novel and improved infant crib elevated to accommodate a wheelchair beneath the crib bed.
Over the years a number of infant cribs have been developed to accommodate various special needs. There is specifically lacking, in the area of infant cribs, an elevated crib designed to allow the seat portion of a wheelchair to pass under the crib bed. Typical cribs have a rail or panel that is capable of sliding vertically. The raising and lowering of the side panel prevents any object, such as a wheelchair, from passing underneath the crib bed. Further, typical infant cribs are not elevated to the extent of allowing a wheelchair to pass underneath the crib bed.
It has been found that by elevating the crib bed, mounting the side panel to slide laterally and adding a drawer to hold infant necessities within hand""s reach, the problems encountered by individuals who are wheelchair-bound, seeking to attend to an infant inside of the crib are addressed. Further, this infant crib may also be used by individuals requiring an elevated crib due to aging, a bad back or similar condition, alleviating the need to excessively bend over while tending to an infant inside the crib.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide for a novel and improved infant crib wherein the crib is elevated to accommodate a wheelchair passing underneath the crib bed.
It is another object of the present invention to provide for a novel and improved infant crib in which at least one side panel is laterally slidable between a closed and open position to enable a person in a sitting position or confined to a wheelchair to have access to an infant in the crib.
It is another object of the present invention to provide for a novel and improved infant crib having a drawer secured under the crib bed at arm""s reach of the person seated in a wheelchair, in order to obtain any necessary infant products, such as, diapers, lotions or creams.
It is another object of the present invention to provide for a novel and improved infant crib in which a lateral sliding side panel has a stop mechanism preventing the panel from sliding completely off the slide rail.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide for a novel and improved infant crib in which the lateral sliding side panel is prevented from disengaging from the slide rail through use of a modified side rail and can be easily moved by one seated in a wheelchair.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the lateral sliding side panel can be secured to a crib frame in such a way as to prevent an infant from inadvertently falling out of the crib.
A further advantage of the present invention is that an individual confined in a wheelchair may tend to an infant located inside of the crib while at the same time retrieving any necessary articles without leaving the infant unattended.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an infant crib that broadly comprises a horizontal base member with spaced support members attached and supporting the base member at an elevated position high enough to accommodate the seat portion of a wheelchair beneath the base member, and including upright slide panel means slidable laterally between a closed and open position. A drawer or platform is attached to the base member allowing quick access to any infant necessities.
There has been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.